Grapes were first cultivated near the Caspian Sea, and their use as food and drink had spread throughout the Mediterranean world before the Bible was written.

The ancient Greeks believed that wine had wonderful health benefits, and modern science has confirmed that wine has many useful properties. While the benefits of wine may be tarnished by the devastation associated with alcohol abuse, the positive aspects of grape seeds have no such liability.

Vitis vinifera. The first recorded mention of a key ingredient in grape seed extract was in 1534 in the mission logs of Jacques Cartier as he was exploring the St. Lawrence River. It seems he and his men became ice-bound during a particularly bitter Canadian winter. His men had begun suffering from scurvy when a friendly native happened by and taught them how to make a tea from pine bark that produced an immediate improvement in the crew's health.

Jacques Masquelier, upon reviewing Cartier's logs, felt that there must be a rich source of Vitamin C in pine bark, and went about investigating the possibilities. What he found were other substances he called oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes (OPCs) and procyanidolic oligomers (PCOs). Masquelier patented the method of extracting PCO from pine bark in France in 1951 and gave it the trade name Pycnogenol. In 1970, he was successful in extracting PCOs from grape seeds. Sales in France of the grape seed extract are 400 times greater than those of the more expensive pine bark products. Other sources rich in PCOs are cranberry, blueberry, bilberry, hawthorn berries, black currants, green and black teas, and red wine. From any source, these plant flavonoids seem to exert a number of health-promoting effects.

People have been using grapes since ancient times not only for eating and drinking but for medicinal purposes as well. Different parts of the plant including the grapes themselves, the leaves, and the stems, have been used. It was not until the 1970's when a French biochemist isolated from grape seed the substance called oligomeric proanthocyandin (OPC). This substance was said to improve blood circulation and to have some protective properties against heart disease.

The world have published much of the research on grape seed extract, but ironically grape seeds were a "second choice." Manufacturers turned to using grape seeds only when peanut skins became unavailable.

3. Effects of Dandelion P.E

Grape seed extract Proanthocyanidins Prevent heart disease. The risk for heart attack and stroke may be reduced with this potent antioxidant, which is believed to prevent the plaque development that can clog arteries. A recent study of 38 smokers indicates that PCOs may function as effectively as aspirin in keeping blood cells from sticking together and forming blood clots (called an anticoagulant effect). And the PCOs posed no risk of the gastrointestinal irritation or bleeding generally associated with aspirin. Interestingly, another preliminary study using grape seed oil (which is related to grape seed extract) indicates that using 2 tablespoons a day to replace other oils in cooking could increase HDL ("good") cholesterol by 14% and reduce triglycerides by 15% in just four weeks.

Grape seed extract Proanthocyanidins Minimize fibromylagia damage. Fibromyalgia is an elusive disorder associated with chronic muscle pain and stiffness. The antioxidant power of grape seed extract can help by protecting besieged muscle cells from damage.

Grape seed extract Proanthocyanidins Deter cancer. The antioxidants in grape seed extract work hard at helping to control cellular damage, routinely hunting down and neutralizing mutations within the genetic material of cells that could lead to tumor formation. The development and progression of cancers of the lung, breast, stomach, prostate, colon, skin and other body parts may be stalled as a result.

Grape seed extract Proanthocyanidins Fight skin diseases such as psoriasis and eczema. Certain components within the skin--collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid--participate in keeping it healthy. PCOs help keep these substances in good shape by blocking enzymes that might disrupt their chemical structure. In this way, grape seed extract may be useful in treating inflammatory skin conditions such as psoriasis. Its flavonoids also inhibit allergic reactions that can generate such skin problems as eczema.

Grape seed extract Proanthocyanidins Slow progression of macular degeneration and cataracts. Grape seed extract improves blood flow in the eye's tiny vessels, where certain eye diseases can cause blockages and impairments that result in vision damage. Cataracts are an example. The extract's antioxidant powers are of particular value in warding off the free-radical damage so frequently cited as the leading cause of macular degeneration.

Grape seed extract Proanthocyanidins Lessen allergy symptoms. As a natural antihistamine, grape seed extract may help to control the sneezing, congestion and other hallmarks of an allergic reaction. The extract also inhibits the release of chemicals called prostaglandins that can generate inflammation during an allergic response. Working in concert, the nutrient's antihistamine and anti-inflammatory actions can help to keep at bay such allergic responses as hives, hay fever and eczema.

Grape seed extract Proanthocyanidins Ease eye strain. People who stare at computer monitors for extended periods may benefit from taking grape seed extract. The findings of one recent study indicate that 300 mg, taken daily, will ease eyestrain and enhance perception of contrast after just 60 days.

Grape Seeds, Grape Seed Extract - By Motherherbs - On Thu 26 Mar, 2009 11:53 am: grape seeds are used as a dietary source of essential fatty acids and as an antioxidant grape seed had been used for its liver protective effects to....

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